فصلنامه امنیت پژوهی
پیاپی 77 (بهار 1401)

The Islamic school of thought has presented a new approach in theorizing for social security, which can be interpreted as a "spatial approach". "Space" in this approach, is the structure of socialized security which includes four spaces namely; individual, collective, political and security. One of the influential variables in the collective space is social capital. The main objective of the study is to strengthen the local discourse of security through the examination of the components of social capital in the collective space of the discourse of security. In this study, researchers tried to answer the question  that; what is the effect of social capital on security in the public space? In order to answer the research question, the components of Islamic Iranian social capital were obtained using the meta-analysis method. The final components obtained are: belief, cognitive, structural, communication (relational), awareness, social trust, social participation, norms, rules and social rules. Then, the whatness of security in the collective space was scrutinized, then its indicators and dimensions were pointed out, and the influence of social capital components in Iranian Islamic discourse on this space, its indicators and dimensions was analyzed. The findings of the study indicated that each of the components of social capital in Iranian Islamic discourse can have different effects on the entire collective space or its indicators and dimensions in accordance with their characteristics.

This study seeks to identify the role of strategic think tanks in the national security policymaking of the Islamic Republic of Iran with a mixed method approach. To achieve the goal of the study after reviewing the research literature in the first stage, interviews were conducted with twelve experts from think tanks and national security policy making, which were selected using qualitative purposive sampling, method, and the key points were extracted and categorized, and by establishing relationships between them and through content analysis, twelve categories were identified as the function of think tanks in the national security policymaking process of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the second stage, using the survey method and distribution of questionnaires among 150 national security policy experts and analysts of think tanks, the importance and prioritization of the functions of think tanks in national security policy was investigated. The findings of the study indicated that; that security problemology with an average rating of 7.35, the ability to evaluate security policies with an average rating of 7.16, and advising national security agents with an average rating of 7.13 have the highest average rating values.

The unstable condition of the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran at different times is the point of concern for the researcher. Also, "good governance" has a functional implication with stable national security, to this end, the main objective of the researcher is to measure the impact of good governance on the stability of the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The research method is applied-developmental in terms of the purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of approach. Data was collected using library method and questionnaire. In this study, the effect of 8 good governance indicators on 20 components of 5 dimensions of national security has been examined in the form of 160 questions through a questionnaire, and the data has been analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. The statistical population is 85 people and the sample size is 69 people according to Cochran's formula, and the reliability of the questionnaire has been confirmed using test retest method, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.978. the results indicated that the effect of good governance on the stability of the national security of the Republic of Iran is significant at the confidence level above 95%, and the greatest effect of the indicators of good governance on the stability of the national security is related to some indices like; accountability, responsibility, rule of law, efficiency and effectiveness, fairness and justice, participation, consensus-oriented and transparency, respectively. Also, the average effect of good governance on the stability of national security is 4.91 from a score of 1 to 5, and this relationship is bidirectional, and the reverse and reciprocal effect is also proven among the variables, and in other words, the stability of national security has an effect on good governance.

Heresy is one of the most important and widely used titles among Muslims, which every group and religion tries to use as a tool for its benefit. In the meantime, Shiite and Sunni commentators, both in different era, have had diverse and sometimes challenging views on this issue to the extent that each of them has accused the opposite group of heresy. The main topic of this study is that; what interpretations the commentators had on the issue of heresy and how their views have provided the ground for the growth of Salafi movements. Therefore, attempts were made to first discuss the opinions of Shiite and Sunni commentators regarding the literal and terminological concept of heresy, then criticize these views and finally deal with the results of these opinions and views based on the reality of the topic. The findings indicated that the commentators have considered heresy the same as concepts like; unprecedent topic, non-religious phenomenon, canonization, hadiths and opposition to the Qur'an and Sunnah, and by interfering with religious prejudices, not specifying the territory of heresy and not having a single standard for heresy, they have paved the way for the growth of Salafi movements.

Today, the progress of cyber communication has caused the security organizations to face challenges in acquiring intelligence superiority and achieving assigned missions. In this applied research, the components, consequences and requirements of cyber-oriented information superiority are explained using the descriptive-analytical method and the interview technique and researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability have been confirmed. By selecting a sample of one hundred experts in the cyber field, descriptive data has been analyzed using SPSS software. The findings of the study indicated that 93% of the participants agree much and very much with mechanisms related to cyber understanding, 96% of the participants agree much and very much with mechanisms related to cyber understanding, and 77% of the participants agree much and very much with cyber visualization as the components of the cyber-oriented intelligence superiority and believe that the use of the requirements of knowledge, skills, infrastructures, expert manpower, cyber systems and agendas, can lead to the provision of results such as operational superiority, prevention of surprises, neutralization and promotion of cyber security.

Currently, the axes of conflict in the political-security scene of West Asia are very complex and different alliances and fronts can be identified in different ways. In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran has defined its initiative in the form of resistance and confrontation with America, the Zionist regime and the growing compromise movement in the region. The current study with a descriptive-analytical approach deals with this fundamental question in the foreign policy of Iran that; what are the capacities and opportunities of the axis of resistance and the threats and challenges of development and interaction with this axis for Iran's national security? In the light of the concepts of Stephen Walt's balance of threat theory, the present study argues that the development of the axis of resistance, from the point of view of the general elements of power, creating proximity and strategic depth, the ability to create immediate threats and creating offensive intentions against the rival front and the enemy in order to deter, has a positive effect on the national integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and at the same time, due to the lack of economic convergence, increasing the level of competition and strengthening the rival front and their efforts to curb its influence, complicating the structure of regional governments, the risk of direct confrontation with hostile countries or the emergence of internal disputes, it has negative and threatening consequences on the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran.